Conducting Conducting Meetings in EnglishMeetings in English

Prepared by Carol Liu

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A Chairperson or Participant?A Chairperson or Participant?Role of a chairperson

◦To make a decision or to coordinate◦To control the meeting◦To encourage people to speak◦To summarize the result

Role of a participant◦To socialize◦To contribute

Source: Lee, C. H. Business English Conversation. Taipei Hsien: Hsin-ye [新頁 ]. 2010. Print. 2

Procedure for a Meeting: Procedure for a Meeting: ChairmanChairman

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What is the most annoying thing What is the most annoying thing when you have a meeting? when you have a meeting? Being lateNot well-prepared/Not to the pointSilenceCell-phone ringsDisagreeing all the time

Do and Don’s in the meeting

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Participating a meeting:Participating a meeting: Be Tentative and PoliteBe Tentative and Polite

Proposing your ideas in an open way: using tentative suggestions

Leaving your opinion unsettled

Not being assertive

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Examples of Tentative QuestionsExamples of Tentative Questions

Why don’t we…?I don’t suppose we could….?What if we…?How about if…?Perhaps we could….Could we…?

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Cultural Issue ICultural Issue ICriticism or Euphemism?

◦Criticism may be seen as an insult.

◦Disagreement to seniors may cause offense.

◦Negative suggestions are not taken personally.

◦Managers take challenges from their subordinates.

◦ In some culture, euphemism pervades.

Observe the business culture you are in!

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Cultural Issue IICultural Issue II

Interruption, Turn Taking, and Silence

◦ Silence between the moments is common / most Asian countries– to think, to show respect

◦ Silence suggests people ‘drop’ conversation / most English-speaking countries– turn taking is tight; interrupt is impolite

◦ Interruptions shows interest in the conversation / Latin culture

Don’t take interruptions personally in business meetings; get to know your colleagues’

cultural background.

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Expression: interruptingMay I have a word?If I may, I think…Excuse me for interrupting.May I come in here?

Expression: giving opinionsI (really) feel that…In my opinion…The way I see things…If you ask me, … I tend to think that…

Expression: Asking for opinions

Do you (really) think that…(name of participant) can we get your

input?How do you feel about…?What do you think about this proposal?Would you like to add anything, (name of

participant)?Has anyone else got anything to

contribute?Are there any more comments?

Expression: commenting on other opinions

I never thought about that way before.Good point!I get your point.I see what you mean.

Expression: agreeing with other opinion

Exactly!That’s (exactly) the way I feel. I have to agree with (name of participant).

Expression: Disagreeing with other opinions

Up to a point I agree with you, but…(I’m afraid) I can’t agree.

Expression: advising & suggestingWe should…Why don’ you…How/What about…I suggest/recommend that…

Expression: Clarifying

Have I made that clear?Do you see what I’m getting at?Let me put this another way…I’d just like to repeat that…

Expression: requesting information

I'd like you to...Would you mind... I wonder if you could...

Expression: asking for repetition

Expression: asking for clarificationI'm afraid I don't quite understand what

your are getting at.Could you explain to me how that is going

to work?I don't see what you mean. Could we have

some more details, please?

Expression: asking for verificationDo you mean that...?Is it true that...?

Expression: correcting information

Sorry, that's not quite right.I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm

saying.That's not quite what I had in mind.That's not what I meant.

Expression: keeping the Meeting on Time

well, that seems to be all the time we have today. Please be brief. I'm afraid we've run out of time. I'm afraid that's outside the scope of this meeting. That's not really why we're here today. Why don't we return to the main focus of today's meeting. We'll have to leave that to another time. We're beginning to lose sight of the main point. Keep to the point, please. I think we'd better leave that for another meeting. Are we ready to make a decision?